Guwahati, March 9 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized 524.9 kg of ganja worth approximately Rs 2.6 crore in Assam and arrested two individuals as part of intensified operations ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal.
The seizure took place on March 8 when the NCB's Guwahati Zonal Unit, acting on specific intelligence, intercepted a Tata Intra V70 truck at Khatkhati in a joint operation with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), an official statement of NCB said.
A thorough search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 524.9 kg of ganja concealed in a specially fabricated cavity inside the truck, in an attempt to evade detection.
Two individuals were arrested in connection with the seizure. Preliminary investigation revealed that the contraband originated from forest areas of the Senapati district in Manipur and was being transported to the Birbhum district in West Bengal.
Officials said this is the second major drug seizure by the NCB's Guwahati Zonal Unit within a month. Earlier, on February 7, the agency, with the support of CRPF, had seized 11.7 kg of methamphetamine near Silchar in Assam, valued at approximately Rs 9.5 crore in the illicit market.
"In view of the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal, the NCB Guwahati Zonal Unit has intensified its operations and surveillance against drug trafficking networks operating in the region," the agency said.
According to the NCB, its North Eastern Region units have seized drugs worth approximately Rs 105 crore in the illicit market in the last two months.
During this period, 21 cases have been registered and 40 drug traffickers have been arrested. The seizures include 1,036 kg of ganja, 72.5 kg of methamphetamine, 17 kg of heroin, 6.25 kg of morphine and 13,816 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.
Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other members of the drug trafficking network, it added.